Lovesick
by amy871
Summary: The Doctor isn't exactly acting like himself and it's up to Rose to figure out how to cure him... or if she even wants to.
1. daydreaming

_Hey all! This is just the beginning of a silly idea I had. I'd love to know if you think I should continue it so please leave me a comment or review! No copyright infringement intended. I do not own Doctor Who or any of it's characters. _

"Here you are, Rose. Picked this for you. No thanks necessary, it was my pleasure." The Doctor jumped out from behind the console holding a bouquet of brilliant, neon pink roses

"Are they real?" She asked delightedly taking them from him.

"Of course they're real! As if I would ever pick fake flowers. Somebody's sure to notice that. They don't grow just anywhere you know." He acted offended at first but like lightning his mood shifted to concern.

"Do you like them, though? I mean, you don't have to. I'll get you something else. I just thought-"

"I love them! Thank you, Doctor, really, but what are they for?"

"For you! Lovely roses for my own lovely Rose." He smiled, following it up with a saucy wink.

Rose's heart skipped a beat or two for a few reasons. Did he jus say his lovely Rose? And wink? What the-" Her inner voice was interrupted by the Doctor taking her hand in his and lifting it to his mouth.

"Where do you want to go now? Your wish is my command." He said in low voice that made her stomach do flips and kissed her hand.

"I-um...I think.." She did think something, right? Sometimes? Saying anything at all would be good but impossible at the moment because he was looking at her. Just really, _looking_ at her.

"Tell you what, we'll go see your mum. It's been awhile and I know you miss her. Just, when we get there let's not get Mickey involved."

Rose could've sworn she saw a flash of jealousy on his face when he mentioned Mickey and normally would've smacked his arm or said something but the Doctor had stepped just a bit closer and put his hand on her waist. His hand was on her waist! Speaking was out of the question so instead she summoned all her strength and gave a slight nod.

"Right! Earth, 21st century, Cardiff, Powell Estate" He exclaimed, releasing her and spinning around the controls. Rose stood there, staring at him as her mind went in a thousand directions.

Despite the last ten minutes having been quite possibly the best in her life, Rose was terrified. He was acting like- well, like something from her stupid daydreams. But, this wasn't a dream, this was real and that meant something was definitely wrong with the Doctor.


	2. Reality Checking

_Thanks to everyone for reading and to Storiest and TardisBlueismynewfavoritecolor for the comments and following the story. Please eveyone leave me any reviews or comments and let me know what you think! _

As usual the TARDIS landed with jolt knocking the Doctor and Rose to the ground but this time instead of laughing, he jumped up and hurried to her side.

"OH! Are you all right? I'll get that fixed. I promise it won't crash like that again. Can't let any bruises mar that perfect skin of yours." He said in an overly sincere rush and he pulled her up to her feet.

Before she could answer he lifted her chin gently and stared at her face, checking for anything that might be wrong. "You look okay. Are you though? Hurt at all?" He asked softly, moving his hand to the side of her neck. Rose gulped,

" I'm-it's fine. Happens all time, right? No harm." She tried to assure him but considering she still couldn't breathe properly it wasn't entirely convincing.

"Okay." He said, staring straight into her eyes. He lowered his head and kissed her softly. "Just tell me if you ever feel like anything is wrong, yeah?"

Oh, boy. Something was wrong, all right. Except at that moment, Rose would rather face down an underfed Slitheen then tell him.

"Right then, onwards. Do you think your mum will like these?" The Doctor asked, holding up a smaller bouquet of those same neon pink roses. Rose nearly choked.

"Sure, course, but...but you're bringing my mum _flowers_?"

The Doctor gave her one of his best melt you into your shoes grins. "Well," He sighed, " I wanna be on her good side today. I've got a favor to ask her."

Rose's stomach jumped into her throat. The possibilities were endless but the way he was acting and the way he was looking at her automatically gave her one impossible idea. This was bonkers. He took her hand and pulled her out the door which was facing her old home.

"Allons-y!"

Rose still couldn't speak but figured that for now it was best if she didn't. Was she even really awake? Probably some evil alien thing had kidnapped her and now she was in a trance or stasis or whatever. It was more than likely she'd been drugged to keep her knocked out. Whatever this was, it was definitely not real.

"Wait, Rose. Before we go in there and hear whatever she has to say or y'know, yell, I just want you to know something." The Doctor said, pulling on her hand to stop her.

"What?" She asked nervously. He didn't answer, just smiled and pulled her close to kiss her soundly.

"That's all. Come on!"

Rose's mind was made up. Reality was way overrated.

"Jackie! Great to see you. You're looking wonderful." The Doctor exclaimed the minute Rose's mother opened the door.

"I brought these for you. I hope you like the color. Hard to find, that shade of pink. The glow in the dark too. Rose, I didn't tell you about that did I? Well, you know, head's full of stuff and sometimes phosphorescent flowers get pushed to the side... Anyway! How about dinner?" He continued, pulling Rose in through the door with him and facing Jackie with a grin.

Rose could barely contain her laughter at the look on her mother's face. "That's, well, Jim was comin by later but... Wait, these aren't poison or anythin are they?" She said, quickly regaining her presence of mind.

"Did you intend to eat them? Wait, I mean, no! No, I would never let my Rose near poison and certainly not her mother either. I thought they would be a nice reminder of Rose for you. Y'know, cuz...they're beautiful roses and she's... no?" He stuttered out, clearly rattled.

"Oh, yeah, great. Bring me a reminder of the daughter you take away from me every chance you get. And you, miss! No hug for your mum? That's a nice way to say hi. Three months you been gone." Jackie scoffed, turning to the very amused and bizarrely relieved girl.

"Hi, mum!" Rose smiled, hugging her mother tightly. Even though she usually wished Jackie would be nicer to the Doctor, this time she was glad her mum wasn't acting at all out of character.

"Ahem, um..Jackie? How about I take you two to dinner?" He looked so sweet and nervous and honestly, a bit frightened that Rose couldn't help from giving the hand she still held a squeeze. Blimey but his palms were sweaty and very warm. Was that a Time Lord thing? Was he usually this warm? She should know given all the time they spent holding hands but her mind still wasn't working properly after that last kiss.

Maybe she wasn't the unconscious prisoner of some alien baddie after all. Going back to her original thought, Rose was getting really worried. Was he sick? Did Time Lords get sick? If they did, would they regenerate before it got too bad? What if he did? What if he regenerated and he was so different he didn't like her anymore? Given how much he seemed to like her right now, the idea practically broke her heart.

"Oi! Rose? Did you hear me? I said I've got to phone Jim and let him know I won't be around today and then we can go, right?" Jackie repeated herself.

Rose blinked back the tears that threatened to give her away and nodded, "Yeah, all right."

"Who's Jim?" The Doctor asked under his breath while Jackie dialed the phone across the room, "Was he the chap that kept satsuma's in his pockets? That's not normal, Rose, and I should know."


	3. Distracting Chat

_Hi! I hope you're all enjoying the story. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think and especially if (aside from the obvious) I am keeping them in character. Thanks!_

"Who's Jim?" The Doctor asked under his breath while Jackie dialed the phone across the room, "Was he the chap that kept satsumas in his pockets? That's not normal, Rose, and I should know."

"Would you?" She asked with a slight smile.

"Well, maybe not always but I'm fairly sure about the satsumas." He smiled, wrapping his arm around her waist. Rose's heart thudded in her ears but this time she managed to keep her head,

"Doctor, I need to talk to my mum before we go, yeah?" She said, avoiding his eyes.

"Sure, anything you like, love. Just don't forget, I need to talk to her after."

Rose closed her eyes and took breath to steady herself before looking up at him. It didn't work. His eyes sparkled with such mirth and love and sincerity that she couldn't say anything. With a quick glance to check that Jackie was still on the phone, he ducked his head down to kiss her again. But, aside from the inevitable lightheadedness it gave her, it hurt this time.

"_He's actin like we're together. He's actin like I should be used to 'im kissin me instead of wishin he would. And, his skin is so hot now. Something is wrong. Why does it have to be this!?"_

"What's wrong?" The Doctor asked, breaking the kiss. "Rose, are you crying? What's happened? Is it from the landing?" He looked terrified and kept his arm around her as he led her to the sofa and made her sit.

"No, I'm fine. Really. I just...I'm... Mum! Got a sec? Sorry, Doctor, we'll be right back." She scrambled out and gave him a quick kiss to keep him calm.

"Rose?!" Jackie sputtered but Rose shot her a look that begged her silence and she said no more as the two walked into Rose's old room.

"I hope you're about to explain that." Jackie announced as soon as the door was shut, folding her arms across her chest in a gesture that meant nothing else was going to be discussed until Rose told her about the kiss.

"That's sortof what I wanted to talk to you about. Just, just stay calm, yeah? He's- The Doctor- He's sick or somethin'. I don't know really and I'm gettin scared. Mum, it's like he's livin in a dream. Oh, and he's got a fever, least I think he does. He just started this right before we came here and I need you to distract him for me while I try to figure out what's wrong. Please, Mum. He wants to talk to you and it's probably going to sound mad but just try and go with it, yeah? I'm just gonna be right outside in the TARDIS, okay?

"You don't think he could be dangerous, do ya?" Jackie asked quietly.

"No! No, Mum, he's not dangerous at all. Just the opposite really. He's lovely." Rose answered, unable to keep the tone of wistfulness from her voice. Jackie raised her eyebrows.

"I've, we've, got to help him. He could be in danger. I dunno if he can regenerate from something like this and I- I can't lose him, Mum." The tears returned and Jackie pulled her into a hug.

"Of course, sweetheart, of course i'll help you. You and him, both. I don't want anything to happen to him, either. Look, I'll just let him talk, yeah? We both know that'll kill a few hours easy." She promised with smile. Rose laughed and nodded, "Thanks, Mum."

Rose and Jackie walked back into the living room where the Doctor was pacing. He looked up at her with a grin like he usually did, but he was also wringing his hands.

"Ready?"

"Um, yeah. How about you and Mum have your talk now? I wanted to go get changed before dinner. I think I'm still wearin the 1970's." She excused. To her relief he laughed, walking to her and taking her hand.

"Are you? Woulda thought bell bottoms would be involved more. Never mind, off you go. Wish me luck." He winked. Rose nodded and kissed his cheek.

"Yeah, me too." She said, practically running out of the door.

"Okay, TARDIS. I need your help. We saved him once, we can do it again, yeah? I need to know about Time Lord illnesses. How? Where would I find that..." Rose was partly talking to the TARDIS and partly to herself when a schematic of the interior popped into the screen.

"Kitchen...bowling alley...library! Yes!" She shouted and took off running in the direction it showed shouting, "Thank you!" over her shoulder.

Jackie handed the Doctor a mug of tea and sat down, unsure of what to expect. "So, Doctor... You wanted to talk?"

He smiled timidly. "Yes, I... Woo, this is harder than I thought it would be. Well, I mean, I didn't think it would be easy. Especially not with you being, well, you know, you but still... The thing is, Jackie... We've known each other for awhile. You know that I care about Rose very much. Well, I say care about but that's not right. The truth is that I," The Doctor stopped to clear his throat, rubbing the back of his neck and pulling at his collar. "The truth is that I lo-"

"What do you mean, me being me?" Jackie interrupted, not wanting him to get too far into the speech. If this was all just some kind of sickness and he wasn't in his right mind then he'd regret it. To be honest, Jackie wanted to save this moment for a time when it might be real; Rose deserved that. She wanted her daughter to have her dreams come true and this wasn't true yet.

"I meant...I just... Well, you know that you and I haven't always gotten on so well so-" He sputtered, when she interrupted again.

"What d'you mean? I think we have. Well, cept of course when you take my only daughter out into space for months at a time. Which reminds me, you're a Time Lord, yeah? How is it that you can't just keep travelin back to the same day? Spare my nerves a lot of worry, wouldn't it?"

"Well, it's not that simple. You see, traveling through the time vortex places us outside of time. Well, in a sense we're outside of time even though it does pass while we're in the TARDIS. Possibly at a slower rate though. I've been looking into that. It's impossible to tell with myself, obviously, Time Lord biology isn't subject to aging in the same way as humans are and thus can't be tracked as easily. I was trying to use Rose as an idea but-"

"Hold on, you're tryin to use Rose as an experiment? I don't think so. That's not going to happen." Jackie exclaimed, taking his mug out of his hand for extra effect.

"No! Jackie, of course I would never experiment on her. It was just observational tracking. That's what I was saying. That's why it wasn't really conclusive in any substantial way. We're off track, I think. About Rose, I wanted to ask you for your blessing because I plan to-"

"Oh, ugh!" Jackie exclaimed, taking a quick sip from her mug and spitting it back out, "Tea's gone cold hasn't it? I'm just gonna freshen that up, right? Back in a tick." Jackie burst out. _" __Hurry Rose, I can't keep him off track for long." _She thought desperately.


	4. Domestic Day

_Hi! Thanks so much to everyone who followed/favorited this story! I hope you all enjoy and please let me know what you think with any comments you have. :)_

Rose was literally climbing over the piles of books that littered the entire room. "He might be brilliant but he's a rubbish librarian." She mumbled, shifted through anything that looked medical. The lights flickered causing Rose to look up and her eyes landed on something at the top of the shelf across the room.

"That's not a book" Rose said. She couldn't help speaking out loud anymore. She was too used to figuring everything out with him; with the Doctor.

Rose piled up even more books to form some makeshift stairs and pulled the box off of the shelf. It was covered in swirls and dots that she knew to be Galifreyan letters which seemed promising.

"Any chance you wanna translate?" She asked into the air. The TARDIS hummed but the letters didn't change. "It's like, some sortof code isn't it?"

Rose lifted the lid and found it was filled with what looked like numbered charts and a few pictures attached to or drawn on them. "Medical history, maybe? Right, well, good. That's good. Now I just need a dictionary." Tucking the bundle under her arm, Rose scrambled through the clutter, on the search again.

"Nevermind the tea, Jackie. It's not important right now." The Doctor called out.

"What d'you mean, it's not important? Tea's saved your life, if you'll remember!" Jackie burst out.

" Well, it was the tannin in the tea, not exactly the tea itself so your method of preparation was irrelevant and- Wait, I mean, yes! I do remember that and thank you again. Saved the day, you did. I don't think I said so at the time. Sorry and you know... thanks. But, Jackie, this is really important. Please, I need to just say that I lo-"

"Wha's a tannin, by the way? I remember you saying it and I meant to ask but it slipped my mind. Is it like, a regular thing or somethin' I should avoid like gluten? Mind you, I'm not so sure why that's called gluten when it seems like they're just talkin about regular flour, yeah? Doctor?" Jackie stopped rambling and came around the corner to find herself alone.

"Well, hasn't changed that muchhas he?" She muttered, heading back to the kitchen.

"Rose? About ready, love? I'm sorry, really I am, but I can't- I can't talk about tea anymore."

Rose's head jerked up from her book scanning and she shoved the papers into her bag, running around the corner so that he wouldn't know where she'd been.

"Doctor? Nice chat with Mum, then?" She asked too brightly and out of breath. He narrowed his eyes.

"It was enlightening. You're still wearing the 70's, Rose. Are you avoiding me?" He asked in equal part suspicion and hurt.

Rose's went pale, "No! I just couldn't...I haven't found exactly what I was looking for...yet." She said, relieved that at least she wasn't really lying to him.

The Doctor walked silently to where she stood and held her face in his hands. Looking straight into her eyes and searching for a moment. "Haven't you? I have." He whispered. Rose gulped. The look in his eyes made her heart spin but his hands on her face felt like fire now and she was scared.

The Doctor smiled, "Quite by chance I found what I'd been looking for in a shop in Cardiff and I suspect, so did you." He let go of her and reached behind her to grab a hold of her favorite shirt that had been flung across one of the struts.

"Hidden in plain sight?"

"Maybe." She said absently taking the shirt from him but thinking about the papers in her bag. It couldn't be so hard to figure out. Why would something like that need hiding? She looked back to his face, resisting the urge to melt when he winked again.

"Actually, I haven't spoken with your Mum yet. Well, I've definitely spoken with her. My word how that woman can prattle on. Excuse me, I mean the conversation got sidetracked. Anyhow, I wanted to make sure I asked on the right day, well for your mum. We can go back a thousand times but this is the first, real anniversary.

"You do know it's absurdly sentimental to want me to ask her today, yeah? But, if that's how you want it then that's where it stands. Look what you've gone and made me, Rose Tyler. Domestic." He made a disgusted face and grinned.

"I'll just go change." Rose managed to blurt out and ran to her room. This was mad. It was beautiful but it was not her dream. He didn't need to be domestic. He didn't need to be overly sentimental. Of course she wanted him to love her but it still had to be _him_.

Rose rushed ahead of the Doctor back into the flat and whispered quickly, "Sorry, Mum, but i'm gonna need a lot more distracting from you."

"You've got to be joking me." Jackie groaned. " It was lot easier when you were goin out with Mickey. I think he would've rather cut his own foot off then have a chat longer than fifteen minutes."

Rose's eyes brightened with the the idea that popped into her mind. "Mickey! Mum, you're brilliant!"


	5. Chips and Changes

_Hi! Hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Thank you so much to everyone who followed or favorited and reviewed! I am thrilled you like it! Please everyone leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts. :)_

Rose's eyes brightened with the the idea that popped into her mind. "Mickey! Mum, you're brilliant!" Jackie opened her mouth to answer or protest again but was stopped by the Doctor finally reaching them.

He reached out automatically taking Rose's hand in his like it was as natural as breathing. Despite the situation she couldn't help but smile because really, even for her, it was.

"Rose, I hate to admit this, but I've never made a proper reservation and i'm mostly certain that when those are made that it needs to be done well in advance. Obviously that's not the situation we're in sooo..." The Doctor trailed off a little sheepishly.

"Sooo, you want chips, dontcha?" She finished for him, shaking her head.

"What? I was just saying- Yes. I do, and so do you." He answered playfully, squeezing her hand and kissing it. This just wouldn't do at all' Rose's guard was getting weaker every second and yet he _would _keep kissing her.

"Also, did I mention Time Lords have exceptional hearing?" He said, breaking her focus.

"And?"

The Doctor lowered his eyebrows, "And my exceptional hearing managed to catch Mickey's name. So, now, I feel the need to repeat that he is still not invited."

"I didn't invite him!" Rose exclaimed, and since she couldn't think of any other way to put him off the trail, she reached up and kissed him, "Chips, yeah? And this time, you really can pay."

Jackie watched the scene silently. All she could think was that in front of her was a happy couple and that must be what he was seeing.

"Here I am starvin and this one only wants to get chips!" She burst out, worried almost as much by the look on Rose's face as the Doctor's condition.

"Oh, come on now Jackie, I'll spring for a salad too."

Twenty minutes later the the Doctor and Rose sat in a diner drinking milkshakes to while they waited for their orders. Jackie had excused herself to go to the ladies' room.

"I will give Earth this; Milkshakes. They're brilliant things that all other planets are sad to have missed. Well, would be sad if they knew." He said cheerfully chopping the cherry to bits and mixing it in.

"Ignorance is bliss, yeah?" Rose smiled, following his example and mixing in the cherry pieces.

"Almost never. But, they've got things too. Like, Trillik." He continued thoughtfully, beginning to pick out the cherry bits from his glass and eating them with a fork.

"What's Trillik?" Rose asked while in the back of her mind thinking something felt different. What was it?

"Trillik! It's just this... Oh! I know, it's like jam. Well, it's like jam if jam was completely different than jam." He said, looking very satisfied with his explanation.

Jackie finally made it back to the booth at the same time as the waitress arrived with their food. Doctor looked genuinely confused for a moment before recovering.

"Jackie? You're here? I'd forgotten. Well, put a plate of chips out and... Anyway, how's things?" Rose stared at him for a moment, just then realizing why she felt the difference. He was acting like his normal self. She studied his face until he caught her gaze but instead of the puppy dog eyes, he just looked toward her mother and made a face.

"Mickey!" The Doctor shouted as her old boyfriend walked towards them. Mickey looked upset and Rose felt terrible. After all, he was still her friend and he didn't deserve to be put through this but he wasn't in danger either.

" Hey. Didn't hear the TARDIS this time. Did you finally learn how to park it?" Mickey said, only thinly veiling his sarcasm. The Doctor looked amused.

"Might be time to get your ears checked, Mick. Fancy some chips?"

"Yeah, alright." Mickey answered, moving to sit down next to Jackie.

"Well, go on and order some! There's the waitress right up there at the counter. Rose? We'd better get going, yeah?" He said, scooting out of the booth and nodding from the startled girl towards the door

"What? Wh-where?" She sputtered.

"You know, place to go, people to save, trillik to eat. Busy people, you and me. Good you see you lot. We'll have to catch up next time." He continued, already halfway to the door. Rose hugged her Mum and Mickey.

"He seems normal to me." Mickey said under his breath, "For him at least."

"To me too. Maybe it's run it's course. I'd better go. Mum, i'll phone you, yeah? Let you know if he's better. Love you!" She told them in a rush, jogging to catch him up. Was he better? How was that possible? Had he been magically cured by a milkshake?!

"So, we're going to wherever they eat Trillik?" She asked, jogging into the TARDIS.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Sure." Absently, pulling levers and spinning dials at the console, the Doctor looked around confusedly for a moment before his eyes landed on her. He smiled,

"I think they have Trillik on Barcelona, in fact! You remember that one, yeah? We were gonna go there right after our first kiss. Well, sortof our first kiss. Hard to say really, although we never kissed before then. Shame really." He was walked towards her, wearing his most charming smile.

"_Nope, milkshakes are not the cure." _ she thought just before he reached out and put his arms around her waist.

"Good thing we've got forever to make up for it." The Doctor grinned, kissing her lightly and bolting back to the console to type int the coordinates for Barcelona. The planet, not the city.

"I'm gonna just have a quick lie down, all right? It's been a long day." Rose called up to him.

"Of course, love. Sleep as long as you like. The noseless dogs aren't going anywhere." The Doctor answered with a gentle smile.

"TARDIS, if you can't translate for me, at least give me some time to figure it out!" She begged once she was alone and pulled the papers out of her bag. She really was tired but she was definitely not going to sleep.


	6. Fire Fighting

_Hope you enjoy this chapter, thankyou so much to everyone following and as always, I'd love to hear your opinions!_

"Blast it all!" The Doctor shouted, smashing the console with what Rose could imagine was the rubber mallet he kept handy for just such a purpose. Rose rubbed her burning eyes and scrambled to get all of the papers scattered across her floor together and hidden.

"What? What's wrong?" She asked as she opened the door, thinking his condition might be worse.

"We are not on Barcelona or even in Barcelona; not even close. I really am sorry, but we're... We're in Cardiff...again..." He stopped, blowing out an exasperated breath, "This is the SEVENTH try and she STILL lands in Cardiff!" He shouted into the air, directing his irritation towards the TARDIS.

Rose ducked her head to hide a smile. _Thanks!_ She thought towards the ship. The TARDIS had given her time, now she needed space. Taking a deep breath, Rose looked straight into his eyes and smiled as flirtatiously as she could manage in the situation.

" S'alright though, I mean, there's a lot of things we've never seen right here on Earth. At least, I've never seen them. Tell you what, I'll think of someplace great I want to see and you go and get us some breakfast, yeah? I'd love some waffles. Chocolate Chip. With powdered sugar...and syrup." She told him brightly, hoping he didn't notice her voice cracking with fatigue.

The Doctor laughed, " Okay then. Have you got it all or is there anything else? Coffee? Tea? Pure, liquified sugar?" He teased.

"I did say syrup already. Go on, then! Yeah and orange juice too." She grinned, sticking her tongue out at him. He winked again and walked out of the door. Well, that worked. Rose had figured fighting fire with fire might be the only way she could learn how to put out the flames. Now that she was alone though, she slumped into the jump seat and let the tears go.

Right now the Doctor seemed somewhere in the middle between himself and Romeo under the balcony. If she were honest, she wished she could keep this version. This one didn't want to be stuck anywhere, except with her. There wasn't much, or anything, wrong with that except the fact that however he acted, something was still wrong inside him.

Rose raced back to her room and snatch the bundle of papers out from the inside of her pillowcase.

" Right, so I get that you're,I don't know, not allowed to translate for me or somethin but how bout you just let me know if I'm on the right track? Like, I say this one," Rose pointed to the first pattern, "Means childhood, and then you blink the lights, yeah? Once for yes, twice for no. So, is that it? Childhood?" She waited for a few minutes, but there was no change. "Okay, on my own then. 'S impossible." She groaned when the screen on the console just in front of her flashed on and the off again.

A slow grin spread over Rose's face. "You are brilliant. Honestly. Okay, so, this is records of his childhood. Blimey, 900 years old, I'm surprised they haven't disintegrated by now!" She exclaimed, unconsciously handling the pages more carefully.

"So the next symbol, according to the dictionary thing, if that's what it was, means symptoms. Right?" The screen flashed again.

"Then is is about symptoms of a childhood sickness he had?" The screen flashed twice then, deflating her spirits.

"Ugh, what then?" She growled in frustration before pulling herself together. The Doctor could be back at any minute.

"Am I on the right track at least? This is something that has affected him since childhood? Or..I guess could affect him since then?" The screen flashed once and then shut down completely.

"Wait! I'm not fin-" Rose began but heard the Doctor unlocking the door. Forgetting her concern for the papers, she shoved them back into the pillowcase and threw it across the room.

"Hello Rose! I've got breakfast and juice for us. Are you surprised?" The Doctor announced, grinning big and holding up the Styrofoam boxes.

_ No, I told you to get them... "_I, um, thanks!" She replied, thinking it best to followed his lead until she had finished the translation.

"Strangest bit was that I don't even like waffles but I had the feeling that it was imperative to order them. I got eggs too, if you want some because..." He trailed off, looking around in confusion again.

"Sounds great, thanks." Rose said, watching him closely.

"Of course, love. I told you before, you're wish is my command." He answered, turning the charming smile on her again.

"I was thinking, I never got to have that chat with your mum, did I? SO, we'll have to wait on our trip until that gets done. Rose, I need you to stay in the room though. I can't rein in your mum when she goes off and well... she might slap me again."

"You're really a little bit scared of her aren't you?" Rose couldn't help laughing at the memory of Jackie slapping him the first time.

"Yep." He said, popping the p and grinning with no apparent shame. He set the boxes on the jump seat next to her and leaned down,"But I've got you to protect me." He whispered, kissing her.

Rose sighed and grabbed her box of waffles. If she had to get through another day of this, she was going to need the sugar rush.

"What are you back for, then?" Jackie exclaimed when she opened the door to them.

"Thanks, Mum." Rose laughed, pulling Jackie into a hug. Jackie hugged her back and shook her head, "Oh, no sweetheart, of course i'm happy you're here. It's just usually he keeps you away for ages!"

"That's my fault, well, it's the TARDIS' fault but it may have been reading my mind because I still need to...well, to talk...well, no, to ask you something." The Doctor spoke up, still standing behind Rose.

Jackie stared at him and then looked at Rose who silently mouthed the words "Just go with it."

"Well, okay, I'll um, I'll just make a pot of tea, yeah?" Jackie replied, clearly flustered.

"NO! I mean, no thanks, Jackie. I don't want any tea to drink...or talk about...or...anything."


	7. Telling

_Thanks so much to all the people following and for the reviews! Hope you like this next chapter._

"NO! I mean, no thanks, Jackie. I don't want any tea to drink...or talk about...or...anything."

Jackie stopped in the tracks and Rose could see her conflict between being nice and saying something snappy.

"You know, Mum, the Doctor and me, we were supposed to go to Barcelona. But, it's not a the city in Spain, it's a whole planet and they've got noseless dogs!" Rose told her as she led her back to the living room with the Doctor following.

It was hard to focus when he kept his hand on her back, totally unwilling to lose contact with her. Waffles were not going to be enough for this.

"What would you want to see a noseless dog for? Sounds right scary to me." Jackie announced, cringing. Rose smiled,

"Yeah, maybe, but I don't know yet. Haven't seen them. We will though... later." Rose answered her, feeling like she was going to cry again.

"Of course we will. Well, I mean Rose and I will. Jackie, you wouldn't want to..." He said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, then clearing his throat and straightening his posture.

"Look, I'm not about to miss my chance again." The Doctor burst out, standing beside Rose and holding her hand in a tight grip.

"Jackie, you need to know that I lo-"

"Oh, sorry, wait, I've got a new blend of coffee! We'll try that, yeah? I haven't even opened it yet. We can all sit round and have a nice coffee instead of tea. Sound good? I won't be a minute." Jackie announced, half panicked.

"I love Rose."

Jackie froze mid turn and Rose's heart stopped at the Doctor's quiet announcement. There was no fear and no nervousness in his voice or his hands now. Rose stared at him and thought he looked calmer and more himself than he had in days and that scared her worse than anything yet.

"I've waited a long time to say so... too long. And now that I have I can't think why I've waited. I've loved her, loved her completely, nearly since the moment we met. Do you remember?" He continued, turning his attention to Rose now, " That first moment when I took your hand and I said 'run' and you did. I didn't want to let you go even then."

Rose fought to breathe and despite her best efforts the tears spilled down over her lashes.

"And now?"

"Now?" He smiled, brushing her tears away, "Now I'm determined to never let you go again."

"But, you can't." Jackie interrupted, "Cuz she's still human and you're still...well, whatever you are." She could see Rose was defenseless just then and now it was her time to do what she'd always done; try to protect her daughter.

The Doctor looked away from Rose's face and back to Jackie. "That's true and not a fact i've ever let myself forget. Believe me, much as I've wanted to, I can't. I'm trying my best to find a way to um...even the odds though. Well, what I mean is that study I told you about yeah? My theory that the TARDIS may be slowing down her aging is part of that. Her mind once held the entire time vortex and I believe it may have left a..well a footprint of sorts. If I could harness that and possibly expand it- " He explained with an excited grin.

"Wait, but- but you said that was dangerous and that's why you had to take it away? Then it killed you, sortof. I mean, it made you regenerate." Rose half whispered in fear.

"Oh, love, it was and it is dangerous for the entire time vortex to be inside anyone but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about a scent of it, a shadow of it. Even that would be enough to keep us together. I'll figure it out. I'll do whatever I have to."

"No." Jackie stated firmly, pulling Rose to her side and away from the Doctor. "I don't think so. In fact, you can just get out. Just- just go to your TARDIS and think about what you're sayin cuz you sound like a right lunatic to me. Not that you don't usually sound mad but this is well over the top. Rose, you're stayin here tonight."

"But, Mum, I-" Rose stuttered in surprise, staring at her mother like she'd lost her mind.

"You heard me, Rose. Go on, Doctor." She continued in her best angry mother voice, waving him away.

"Did you just tell me to go to my room?" The Doctor asked incredulously.

"Yeah, I did, now don't make me to tell you again!"

The Doctor immediately turned towards the door just as she'd ordered. "I- I'll see you later, Rose." He said, looking stunned.

"Hope so." Rose replied looking towards her mother's stern expression and trying not to laugh.

Jackie closed and locked the door behind him and turned back to Rose, "Shadow my foot. Hope you've got some ideas, sweetheart, because that man's just about over the edge."

"I do!" Rose said, pulling her bag around and fishing out the papers. "Oh, Mum, really you are brilliant! Thank you!"


	8. PrettyCrazy

_Hi! Hope you're all enjoying the story. I know this chapter is short but I will try to add more later. I do not own Doctor Who or any of it's characters or William Shakespeare's Sonnet 43.  
_

Rose startled awake sitting on the floor against her dresser with papers scattered all over and around her and a notepad she'd been using to keep track of her thoughts lying on her lap.

She groaned and tried to stretch her neck to get rid of the nasty cramp it had developed before realizing with had woken her in the first place; shouting. Someone was shouting outside and it wasn't the usual quartet of drunks that went round on weekends. This was... poetry. "Oh. Oh, no." She said to herself, knowing that voice and even some of the words.

Rose raced to her window and lifted the frilly pink curtain to see the Doctor, outside the first floor, holding up the bouquet of roses he'd given her and dressed in a tuxedo!

"When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see,  
For all the day they view things unrespected;  
But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee,  
And darkly bright are bright in dark directed;" He said, seeing her looking out of her window and winking.

"Oh, my lovely Rose! I couldn't sleep. Well, I never can sleep but this was worse. You weren't close by to have sweet dreams for me. I saw these and I wondered If I brought them to you, you might at least have dreams of me while we are apart." He said, dramatically holding up the bouquet with one hand and beckoning to her with the other.

In a sleepy daze, Rose quietly walked past her mother's room and out the door to meet him.

"Are you okay?" She asked, studying his face. His eyes were fever bright and instead answering he wrapped his arms around her tightly and kissed her as if they'd been apart for years. His lips, along with the rest of him were blazing hot with fever as well.

"I'm going to ask your mother's blessing in the morning and I'll stay here all night to wait for the sun. For you, my Rose. You'd better go before she sees us now. Please, take the flowers and think of me!" He announced, putting the bouquet in her hand and kissing it.

"He's gone off the edge like mum said. He's a total nutter. I've got to get him back before he decides to start shoutin from rooftops. This is a nightmare!" Her inner voice was going off but she stayed silent. Turning from the Doctor with a slight nod and practically running back to her bedroom.

Once in her room with the door shut, Rose stared in despair at the pages scattered everywhere. Everything pointed to an incidence from his childhood but the reference book couldn't help her with his specific past. "Childhood sickness but not a sickness? What am I missin? She looked at the roses in her hand and automatically lifted them to her nose to smell their perfume.

"Blimey!" Rose exclaimed out loud as her head spun from the strong scent. She felt dizzy for a moment, and then immediately sneezed.

"Wait..No, couldn't be...but... MUM!" Rose shouted, racing to her mother's door and knocking. "Mum, wake up!"

"What? Are you alright? Are you hurt? What's happened?" Jackie exclaimed, rushing out and still trying to put on her dressing gown.

"Where are those roses he gave you?" Rose asked in a frantic rush.

"Who?" Jackie blinked.

"WHO? The Doctor! He gave you those roses yesterday!"

"Oh, um... they're in the sitting room. Yeah, right above the telly." Jackie said, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and guiding Rose to the flowers. Rose immediately snatched them out of their vase and smelled them. The dizziness attacked again though with less strength, likely because it was a much smaller bouquet.

"I think I've got it, Mum! It's the roses!" Rose laughed gleefully.

"No way! I knew it! Asked 'im if they were poison, didn't I?" Jackie crowed


	9. Uneasy

_Thankyou so much to everyone following! I am thrilled! I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter and let me know your thoughts on it._

"I think I've got it, Mum! It's the roses!" Rose laughed gleefully.

"No way! I knew it! Asked 'im if they were poison, didn't I?" Jackie crowed.

"yeah, you don't have to sound so happy about it. Anyway, it's not poison.I don't think it's poison.I think he's just like, allergic to it. It would explain why he picked them in the first place. There's lots of things people don't know they're allergic to until they do."

"Oh, there you go, talking like 'im again. I am not awake enough for your the way you both twist words round." Jackie groaned, heading for the kitchen.

"I'm making a coffee. Want one?"

Rose rubbed her forehead, "Yeah, thanks." So, the Doctor was allergic to the roses. Probably. Possibly. So, now what? First thing, she figured, was that she had to get rid of all the roses right away.

"Here we are, then." Jackie said, coming out of the kitchen holding out the mug of coffee and finding the room empty.

"Just like him." Jackie yawned.

"Rose! Where've you been? It's getting late, well, technically it's early but I mean for us. We've got to get going!" The Doctor announced, as soon as she stepped into the TARDIS.

Rose continued forward cautiously, expecting him to start singing ballads at any moment.

"Go where?" She asked slowly, noting that he wore his brown suit again.

"Anywhere! There has to be some cosmic catastrophe just waiting for our expert assistance. Well, my expert, your assistance." He grinned.

Rose eyed him warily, "And- and that's all? You just want to travel? You don't want to hang round here or talk to my mum bout anything?"

"Talk to your- Ha! No, Rose Tyler. I think i'll wait till another time to spend the day with your mum. I've got all I need right here" He laughed, reaching out and grabbing her hand.

Rose was lost. He seemed so himself but this could go either way. He'd given her the original bouquet back. Maybe that was it. Maybe it was over! Then, still holding her hand, he pulled her close.

"Allons-y!" He grinned into her eyes.

Rose's heart stopped. _"But- How could.." _Then she looked down and her eyes saw that he had pinned one of the smaller roses to his lapel.

"By the way, there's a surprise for you in your room. Go on and have a look." He said with a sparkle in his eyes.

Rose felt the dread increase with every step she took but, much like in a nightmare, she had no control. She had to see what he'd done. She opened the door to her room and just barely stopped herself from screaming. The entire room was filled to the brim with the neon pink roses. What was worse was that they were in space! She couldn't just chuck them out. At least, not without his noticing.

Well, there was no Mum or Mickey to distract him now so...

"Doctor? We um...I mean, I- I need to go to a... shop. Yeah, we need groceries. We need milk and...chocolate and...beans. Oh, and pomegranate juice!" She said, trying desperately to think while he gazed at her and spitting out the first things that came to mind.

"Are you quite all right? That is an odd list of foods. Are you feeling ill?" He asked, only half joking.

Rose let out pained laugh, "Well, now that you mention it. There might be somethin going round. So, pomegranate juice yeah? It's healthy I think. No, i'm sure. It's good for you."

"Okay, yeah. We'll go and get whatever you need." He said, looking worried. He walked to her and felt her forehead, and cheeks, leaving his hands on her face. "You don't feel warm."

_"You would never be able to tell._" Rose thought. His own hands were like fire again.

"Well, hopefully it's an easy fix. So, let's be quite quick and get to the shop, yeah?" She sounded desperate to her own ears but in this case in only helped the cause. He ran back around to the console and began changing the destination immediately.

"Right then. Beans and Pomegranates. Allons-y."


	10. Names and Lists

"Rose Tyler. It's a shame to have to call you that still. Can't really call you Rose Doctor. Well, I could but it's not exactly- Then again, now that I hear it out loud...would you like that? Rose Doctor. You know, it does sort of roll off the tongue doesn't it."

The Doctor came in from his visit to the market holding two brown paper grocery bags. "Sorry, they didn't have bottled pomegranate juice here. I really should've considered that before landing in 1910 but you know, hindsight and all that. We'll go somewhere else. Oh! We'll go to the Himalaya's, pick fresh pomegranate and I will juice them myself. You talk about healthy, Rose Doctor, that's healthy. See what I did there? Works doesn't it? I think it works.

Rose was flushed from rushing around, trying remove as many of the roses as possible while he was out. Even now there was still about half a room full.

"Sorry, what are you talkin about?" She said, out of breath and a little concerned about what would happen when they left a dumpster full of neon roses in the early 1900's.

"Either your name or pomegranate juice. Well, no. Your name and pomegranate juice but its fine. I have a plan. It's a better plan."

"What's that about my name?" Rose asked, only just then realizing what he had called her and tried to control the tremors in her stomach.

"Rose Doctor? Well, Rose Tyler Doctor if you like. I'm sorry I don't have a proper surname to give you but Rose Tyler doesn't confer the fact that you're mine now." He told her, grinning as he pulled her into his arms.

"Mrs. Rose Doctor? No? Fine. Just Mrs. then? Okay, just be sure you keep that ring on your finger visible as all times." He said, holding her hand up as he spoke.

"Rose! Where's your ring?!"

"My- Your- Mrs. What?!" Rose's head was already spinning from the perfume of all the roses and now this was just the final straw. Before she knew it she had burst into tears.

"Rose? Oh, it's alright, love. We'll find it or get a new one. Don't cry." He soothed, rubbing her back in circles. It only made her feel worse though. She felt like he was right there but so far from her.

"But-but I mi- miss you!" She choked out, somewhere in the back of her mind thinking how great a hankie would be right then.

"You always gave me your hankie!" Rose said nonsensically pushing away the one he immediately offered.

"Rose, sweetheart? You're ill, you need sleep, yeah? How about that? Come on, let's just get you to your bed so you can have a nice lie down and feel better."

"NO!" Rose shouted out. He couldn't see her room with all the flowers missing. There was no telling what he would do or say about that while he was so out of himself.

"Okay, no napping. Got it. Fine, you just sit down then and i'll get you a tea. How's that? A proper cuppa tea. I promise it won't taste a bit like your mum makes it." He offered desperately.

Despite herself, Rose let out a small, hysterical laugh.

"Yep. That's a go. Be right back."

Rose sat still and tried to calm herself, wiping her nose on her sleeve and trying to clear what must be a mascara river from her face. "You will come back though, won't you?" She asked when he was out of earshot.

"TARDIS? I am on the right track, yeah? He's actin bit more and a bit less mad at the same time. It's so weird, but I need to know, do I need anything else to help him? Like, any kind of medicine or is just getting rid of the roses enough?" She asked, quietly so that he wouldn't catch it.

The screen in front of her lit up once and shut down again, then a few minutes later lit up with a picture on it this time.

"What is... No way. You can't be serious. But that's poison isn't it?" Rose wondered, getting up and standing just in front of the screen.

"No, love. I told you, it's nothin like your mum's tea." The Doctor smirked, just walking through the entryway and holding out her tea to her.

"Doctor, forget the pomegranates. I want to meet Santa instead." Rose told him with a very serious expression.

"Sorry?" He asked, totally taken aback.

"Yeah. Never met 'im. You know, when you're, well, when human kids go at Christmas and meet Santa and tell him what they wish for? I never did. S'like a um... like a bucket list thing for me. So, can we go?" Rose explained as he looked at her like she'd gone mad.

"Uh...yeah, yeah, sure thing. Let's go meet Santa. Wait, you don't mean the real one do you?"


	11. The Real Santas

_Hi! Sorry I'm a little late updating and that this chapter is so short but I hope you all like it and thanks so much to everyone who's followed/faved/reviewed. I'm so happy you like it and I love to read all of your comments! _

"Uh...yeah, yeah, sure thing. Let's go meet Santa. Wait, you don't mean the real one do you?"

Rose's mind filled with images of elves and flying reindeer, "What?"

" The real Santa? Er... Saint Nicholas I should say. Fascinating man. I did actually meet him once; quite by accident really but anyway-"

"Nope, I mean the fantastically fake looking kind at the shopping centre. That's okay, yeah? I mean, if you don't want to then I guess we can just do whatever you like..." Rose turned to him, looking up with big, innocent eyes.

"Whatever I... No, that's fine. We'll go and see Frank Jones with a proper fake beard and everything. Mind you, they always did come off and more creepy than not. Rose, i'm just gonna say right now, if he even looks like he's thinkin the words Santa's little helper, we are gone. Deal?"

Rose shuddered at the idea, "Absolutely. We'll just find a really old one. Like, he could've met St. Nicholas too at some point too."

The Doctor smiled, and kissed her forehead before turning back to the controls. "So, a Christmas from your childhood then? Well, I already know about the red bicycle so what else didn't you get?"

"I um... You know, that's a good idea. I didn't get roller skates when I was 8 and I really wanted them but you know, money being what it was, Mum couldn't manage. I think she felt really bad about that, too." Rose said, remembering that Christmas morning when she had opened a little book of paper dolls instead.

"So, you want to help your Mum, is that it?" The Doctor asked, looking at her like she was some kind of treasure.

"Well..well, yeah. I guess I do. But, don't let's forget. I'm the one getting the roller skates." Rose grinned.

"All right, off we go to get roller skates and who knows, maybe even a stuffed goose. Listen, we could probably skip the whole Santa thing if you don't mind. Cut out the middle man as it were." The Doctor looked at her seriously and it was clear he really didn't want to visit any shop Santa's. Nor did she really. After you've been attacked by a robot Santa with a trumpet machine gun the magic does fade some. Anyway, that had only been a ruse to buy a little time.

"Okay, that's fine. We'll just go on a quick shopping trip, yeah?"

"Yeah, roller blades and maybe even a new ring?" The Doctor suggested, taking her hand with sparkling eyes.

"Maybe. Maybe i'll find what I lost though, and we won't need it." She answered hopefully.


	12. Things Past

"Maybe. Maybe i'll find what I lost though, and we won't need it." She answered hopefully.

"Doctor, I'm gonna go look in these shops, yeah? Let's meet up in say, half hour?" Rose suggested as they walked through the open marketplace. He seemed reluctant to let go of her hand, instead pulling her closer and solidly kissing her in front of everyone. Despite how common this was becoming, she still hadn't gotten used to it and thus felt like she were floating out of her shoes.

"Half hour, don't be late." He grinned, kissing the bridge of her nose as he turned away and headed for what looked like a toy store. Why was he... Oh! Right. Roller Skates.

Rose shook her head, trying to clear the haze that he had the tendency to create. "_Focus! This is great... No! I mean, wrong. This is wrong and I need him. Back! I need him back, I mean, the real him." _She couldn't think anymore, and took off running back to the TARDIS. She had thirty minutes to clear out the rest of the roses, wash everything down, clean herself up, and find the medicine he needed. No problem...

Snatching the last gigantic trash bag full of roses, Rose closed the door behind her and checked her watch. She had seven minutes left and considering he was a Time Lord, it wasn't likely he would be late.

Rose shoved the trash bag into a dumpster outside one of the shops before running inside. One thing, that's all she needed and her whole, bizarre, insane, beautiful universe would be back to normal.

"Rose! I can't believe it, love. Look what i've found." The Doctor pulled an extra long, striped scarf from one of his bags and wrapped it around his neck a few times. "It's just brilliant." He laughed. Rose laughed along at the comical length of the scarf but she'd seen pictures and knew it was something he'd use to love. "Don't think i've forgotten the mission however. Santa's bringin you roller skates aaaaand," The Doctor dramatically pulled a potted poinsettia from behind his back, "Happy Christmas!" He grinned.

"Yeah, and you!" She smiled back, unbelievably relieved that she'd actually made it back on time.

"So, we're goin to what, put those outside the door?" She wondered, looking towards the skates.

"No! Course not. That's not how Santa works, is it? No, we're goin to go about it the right way and leave these right under the tree. Well, beside the tree maybe. Hold on, did you have a tree? Because if not then we could go and get a tree as well. I did consider the goose but then, you know, people are strange about geese. Probably it's because they bite. Do you like geese?"

"Dunno, never had um...goose before. We could do turkey, yeah? Poor Mum, it was a hard year, that. Or, this, I guess. Anyway, I wanna play Santa for her too. Got her some earrings. What d'you think?" Rose held up a pair of gigantic, gold and rhinestone hoops. The Doctor eyed them for a moment.

"Yeah...looks about right for your mother." He dismissed before walking on ahead of her,

"Come on, Tiny Tim. We've got to get dinner on." He said, stopping and holding out his hand to her.

"Weirdest thing, I had something I wanted to talk to your mum about but I can't... I can't remember..." He looked so lost for a moment before he shrugged, and kissed her hand again.

"Probably not that important then, yeah?" Rose offered, but strangely felt like she was going to cry. The Doctor laughed,

"Oh, I'm sure it's not. What important thing would Jackie and I have to talk about? I mean, unless I was plannin to-" A spark touched his eyes and he gazed at her a long moment, "Didn't I...?" He murmured, before he shook his head but continued to look at her before spontaneously bending down to kiss her.

"Doc-Doctor?" Rose stammered when he'd pulled back, "Can we get somethin to eat before we go to the house?"

The Doctor nodded silently, his former jovial mood had gone now and he just looked so confused. For her part she needed to get that cure to him right away. Being away from the roses had definitely cooled his ardor but this strange inbetween wasn't good for either of their hearts or minds now.

"Let's go and get some chips and hot chocolate!" She suggested.

"That is a great idea, Rose...Tyler." He began, stumbling on her last name for a moment before he grinned, masking the helpless look he'd worn and pulled her forward.


	13. Sleepwalking

_Hi! So, this is it. Finally made it to the end and a huge thank you to eveyone who's been following or read it at all. This chapter is super fluff and I hope you all like it. Let me know what you think! :)_

"Let's go and get some chips and hot chocolate!" She suggested.

"That is a great idea, Rose...Tyler." He began, stumbling on her last name for a moment before he grinned, masking the helpless look he'd worn.

"Doctor I think- We need to get back to the TARDIS. Now." They were waiting to order their food when the Doctor grabbed her hand tightly and she nearly snatched it back. It was hot enough now to feel like it might even burn her.

Without waiting for his answer, she immediately turned to go but he pulled her back. "Wait, I... wow, I didn't think it was going to go this way. Look, I've had enough running about and waiting for the perfect time. I just want to sit. With you. I mean, I want to run with you too actually, and...eat chips with you and drink your mum's horrid tea with you because then you can drink it for me instead... I want to rest with you and go mad with you and save the worlds with you and then enjoy the after party with you. All the things in my life, and all the moments that make it worthwhile, well they stopped being worth anything at all until I was with you. SO, having said all of that... I suppose what I really mean to say is... Rose Tyler-"

"WAIT!" Rose's heart was beating at about a thousand miles an hour and the look in his eyes was more than enough to convince her of anything. It felt like it was real and this was him. Like this was her Doctor and every single thing he'd said was what she felt and every single thing he was claiming to want was what she wanted. So of course, nothing had ever hurt this much because it wasn't real.

Before giving herself time to break or letting him speak any further, Rose pulled a small plant from her bag and popped a piece of it into his mouth. The Doctor looked completely shocked and began coughing until he spit out a leaf.

"Rose! What is this? Why...? He began, starting to stand when his face went beet red and he fell over completely.

"Doctor! Please, please wake up. Please come back to me!" Rose cried out, kneeling beside him. People standing nearby who had been watching what they'd thought was a proposal scene started panicking, some pulling out their mobiles and undoubtedly calling the police...or filming it for youtube.

Rose her ear against his chest, listening for his heartbeat and just then realized, he still wore the small rose on his lapel! She snatched it and threw it out into street where a passing car ran it over. Good! The evil thing deserved it's fate.

Ambulance sirens pierced the air around them and the crowd began to part to make room for the paramedics when the Doctor opened his eyes.

"Rose- Hit my chest. Just once- right side- hard as you can." He ordered hoarsely. Rose punched him right away, causing a gasp from the crowd who all jumped back when the Doctor bounced up, shouting "Whoo-HA! Blimey! Um...and that's one way to do the Heimlich. Don't try it, kids, it's not the best." He addressed the crowd, grasping Rose's hand and speed walking his way out of the centre.

"What just happened? I have a lot of things in my head, Rose. I can't afford the space for dreams." He asked, rubbing his eyes like a sleepy child once they'd gotten back into the TARDIS.

"I- you- You were allergic to the roses," She offered, trying to think of how to explain the last few days.

"What? What roses?" He asked, genuinely lost. Rose laughed and threw her arms around him, stopping just short of kissing him too. She couldn't do that anymore. Shame, but worth the trade,

"You picked me some roses, but they were crazy, alien roses you're allergic to. They infected your brain, made you a bit mad."

"Do you have any? I'd love to analyze it." He asked eagerly, the spark of adventure on his face.

"Well, just a bit that might be left in the street. I'll go and look but you- you just put on a a mask or somethin, yeah? I am not goin through that again."

She grabbed a plastic bag and found the smashed up rose on the road and brought it back, "All clear?" She asked carefully, poking her head in through the door but keeping the rose outside.

"It's safe." The Doctor answered back in a muffled voice. When she walked in she found it was because he was wearing a big orange hazmat suit.

"Very stylish." She grinned, handing him the bag. He grinned back behind the glass.

"Better safe than sorry."

Moments later he read the results of the analysis. "THAT is unexpected. This flower has extraordinarily high concentrations of Tylipsis. Incredibly rare and possibly the only thing that can dramatically affect the brain chemistry of a Time Lord. Basically, it infects the brain, as you said, and puts you in a sort of dream state until...well, until you go completely mad...or die. Weeell, regenerate."

"So, so you were sleepwalkin this whole time?" Rose asked, staring at the crushed flower.

"Yes, I suppose I was. I hope it wasn't too embarrassing. Did I," He stopped as his face went red and he cleared his throat, "Did I say anything...?"

"No, no. Well, you really hate my mum's tea but other than that you were um... pleasant."

"Good. That's good. Why am I holding a bag of roller skates?" He asked, clearly relieved and eager to change the subject.

"Those are mine. We're supposed to drop them at my flat like the ghosts of Santa's past."

"If you say so, Rose Tyler. After that though, we have to go back to the planet with those roses and see how they got there. The concentration was far too high for that to be by chance He announced, rushing back to the console although he still seemed a little off balance.

"Yeah, alright, just make sure you keep that suit on then." Rose warned. The Doctor nodded emphatically, "Oh yes!"

Rose smiled to herself while she watched him working. She'd already decided she wouldn't tell him anything about what he'd said or been about to say. It would only make things awkward between them and there was no need. As scary as the whole thing had been she'd gotten something very precious out of it. Now that she knew what he dreamed of, her own daydreams didn't feel so silly after all.

"By the way, what was that plant you choked me with?" He asked suddenly. Rose grinned,

"Mistletoe." She said, kissing the top of the helmet he still wore. His eyes shaded over like he was remembering something for just a second before the spark returned.

"That's good to know. Best keep some of that handy, just in case." He grinned.

"Definitely. Just in case." Rose answered laughing, overjoyed to be back in her bizarre, beautiful, insane life with the Doctor. It didn't feel quite the same now, but it might just be a little better.


	14. Epilogue aka Possible Repercussions

"You left the mind altering alien roses where?!" The Doctor looked panicked as he scrolled through century old newspaper articles that screamed the existence of otherwordly forces taking over the city gardens.

"Right, we'd better hurry and get them cleared out. Do you know how many things this could change in the human timeline? The repercussions are massive, Rose Tyler. Those flowers could easily change the course of human history and we only have a few minutes left before the changes are fixed."

"I just didn't know what to do with 'em! And you were no help, were you? Goin about spoutin poetry and um- I mean, you know, you weren't exactly in possession of all your faculties." Rose retorted, throwing her hands up in frustration.

The Doctor watched as she retreated, going to get ready for the next stop. Reaching into his pocket he felt the small, golden circle hidden there next to a piece of mistletoe. "Wasn't I?" He sighed, then let out a small laugh as he put he hazmat helmet back on.

The memories had started coming back in waves, each washing over the Doctor with every smile from Rose, or casual touch. She didn't notice because she was too occupied watching out for what she might give away. He was grateful for that and knew he must do the same. The things he had done and told her were mostly true, although taken to extremes he wouldn't go to no matter what. He would never experiment on her using the time vortex, he'd only wondered over he possibility in passing.

He wouldn't propose to her in the middle of a chip shop, although at that time it had been in the throws of fevered desperation. But, he had dreamed of proposing to her; of marrying her; of spending all of not only her days but his together.

What he had done then and still would do if he could was anything to make her happy; and kiss her. Well, he wouldn't kiss her unless the situation called for it, but he would dream of it and he would remember.

So no, he couldn't tell her that the sleepwalking dreams had come back to him, but he would remember them and keep them with him always along with the ring that would never leave his pocket.

_Okay, that's the end now. Thankyou for reading and I hope you liked the little epilogue and it's not too mushy! I just liked the idea of seeing his perspective while still keeping it canon as much as possible. Let me know your thoughts and I really appreciate every review you guys posted! _


End file.
